Apples

On Thu 03 Nov 2005 03:05:12p, Kimberly wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

I'm looking for the very best apples (or combination of apples) to use
in plain old apple pie....I've used Granny Smith but Braeburn, Throme
Empire and Ida Red were also recommended. Anyone have an opinion?

I can't get very good pie apples where I live. I generally use yellow
delicious. I think they make a decent pie.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

Kimberly said:

I'm looking for the very best apples (or combination of apples) to use
in plain old apple pie....I've used Granny Smith but Braeburn, Throme
Empire and Ida Red were also recommended. Anyone have an opinion?

Just about anything except Red Delicious or Granny Smith.

I used Regent in my last apple pie and it turned out pretty good. I
have a bunch of Honey Golds (a close cousin of Golden Delicious) that
I'm gonna use to make jars of pie filling.

Bob

Lisa Smith said:

"zxcvbob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Kimberly said:

I'm looking for the very best apples (or combination of apples) to use
in plain old apple pie....I've used Granny Smith but Braeburn, Throme
Empire and Ida Red were also recommended. Anyone have an opinion?

Just about anything except Red Delicious or Granny Smith.

I used Regent in my last apple pie and it turned out pretty good. I
have a bunch of Honey Golds (a close cousin of Golden Delicious) that
I'm gonna use to make jars of pie filling.

Bob

I like a mix, Jonagolds, Golden Delicious, Braeburns with Granny Smith (not
all at the same time!, just something mixed with the Granny Smith). The
Granny Smith is such a [censored] apple it needs something sweet to give it
balance. At the same time it provides a bit of tartness that gives the pie a
little bit more complexity.

Lisa aka Pagemaster

I use granny smith exclusively, but I like a [censored] pie 🙂

--

saerah

"Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a
disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice."
-Baruch Spinoza

"I think there's a clause in the Shaman's and Jujumen's Local #57 Union
contract that they have to have reciprocity for each other's shop rules."
-König Prüß

Wayne Boatwright said:

On Thu 03 Nov 2005 03:05:12p, Kimberly wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

I'm looking for the very best apples (or combination of apples) to use
in plain old apple pie....I've used Granny Smith but Braeburn, Throme
Empire and Ida Red were also recommended. Anyone have an opinion?

I can't get very good pie apples where I live. I generally use yellow
delicious. I think they make a decent pie.

Delicious apples in a pie? Pooey. Never. They are tasteless and the wilt
when cooked.
Northern Spy are at the top of my list. I have also used Spartan, Macs and
Ida Reds.

Dave Smith said:

Wayne Boatwright said:

On Thu 03 Nov 2005 03:05:12p, Kimberly wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

I'm looking for the very best apples (or combination of apples) to use
in plain old apple pie....I've used Granny Smith but Braeburn, Throme
Empire and Ida Red were also recommended. Anyone have an opinion?

I can't get very good pie apples where I live. I generally use yellow
delicious. I think they make a decent pie.

Delicious apples in a pie? Pooey. Never. They are tasteless and the wilt
when cooked.
Northern Spy are at the top of my list. I have also used Spartan, Macs and
Ida Reds.

Just as an experiment, try cooking a couple of *Golden* Delicious
apples. They cook surprisingly well. Not at all like Red Delicious.

-Bob

"Kimberly" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm looking for the very best apples (or combination of apples) to use
in plain old apple pie....I've used Granny Smith but Braeburn, Throme
Empire and Ida Red were also recommended. Anyone have an opinion?

If you can find Ida Reds, they make an awesome pie. I usually mix apples,
like a couple Granny Smith, a few Ida Reds (when I can find them), and maybe
a Jonagold. I like the variations in texture and flavor.

kimberly

"Nexis" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:gVyaf.16255$i%.6839@fed1read07...

Quoted message said:

"Kimberly" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm looking for the very best apples (or combination of apples) to use
in plain old apple pie....I've used Granny Smith but Braeburn, Throme
Empire and Ida Red were also recommended. Anyone have an opinion?

Quoted message said:

If you can find Ida Reds, they make an awesome pie. I usually mix apples,
like a couple Granny Smith, a few Ida Reds (when I can find them), and

maybe

Quoted message said:

a Jonagold. I like the variations in texture and flavor.

kimberly

Do you all mix apples for applesauce as well? If not, I recommend doing so;
it's another way to get that texture/flavor variation thing going. Tonight,
I'm using Macs, Jonagolds and Pink Ladies in my applesauce, which I'll serve
alongside a roast pork.

And I've a hankering to make cornbread, too, although I'm not sure why . . .

Spitz
--
"Home, James, and don't spare the horses!"

Kimberly said:

Anyone have an opinion?

Braeburn is my favorite.

Becca

"Kimberly" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm looking for the very best apples (or combination of apples) to use
in plain old apple pie....I've used Granny Smith but Braeburn, Throme
Empire and Ida Red were also recommended. Anyone have an opinion?

Cortland apples. End of discussion.

But, where do you live? It's germane to the discussion.

On Thu, 3 Nov 2005 18:14:33 -0800, "Spitzmaus" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

And I've a hankering to make cornbread, too, although I'm not sure why . . .

Fall & winter--definitely the time for cornbread, along with the other
goodies you mentioned. (pork roast & applesauce--always a great
pairing)

--
-denny-
"Do your thoughts call ahead or do they just arrive at your mouth unannounced?"

"It's come as you are, baby."

-over the hedge

Kimberly said:

I'm looking for the very best apples (or combination of apples) to use
in plain old apple pie....I've used Granny Smith but Braeburn, Throme
Empire and Ida Red were also recommended. Anyone have an opinion?

rofl!
'Anyone (in RFC!) have an opinion?' About apples?

10 posters--that should supply about 15 opinions. <g>

I'm old-fashioned. I still like Rome Beauties, Gravensteins, and
Golden Delicious. (worth noting that I live in western Washington, so
the apple supply/variety is excellent)

--
-denny-
"Do your thoughts call ahead or do they just arrive at your mouth unannounced?"

"It's come as you are, baby."

-over the hedge

Kimberly said:

I'm looking for the very best apples (or combination of apples) to use
in plain old apple pie

"Very best"...? Dehys of course... this is what the *very best*
bakeries do... do yoose think they sit around paring bushels of of
unknown pie quality apples in a HOT bakery. Naturally the crapola
bakeries use canned apple pie filling... right up there with canned
pissorioghetti. Only home cooks use fresh apples for pie filling...
always a [censored] shoot... but for the very occasional pie or two it's what
they do, they don't know why they do it that way, it's how their
mothers did... guess you can chalk it up to monkey see, monkey do. But
there's a much better way... save your pretty, unblemished, fresh, in
season, local apples for eating out of hand... it's a shame to chop em
up for pie... and cheapo drops/cider apples from the farm stand are too
labor intensive paring away the damaged/woimy portions, plus they
actually end up more expensive with all the loss. The very best pie
apples get shipped directly from the orchards to the commercial
dehyrator factories... now that I life in upstate NY I actually get to
see the overloaded trucks rumbling by right on the road where I live.
Many of my neighbors maintain acres of apple orchards... keeps their
property agricultural, they pay far less taxes, in fact that's the only
way they can afford to continue living there without selling off most
of the old family farm.

Repost from 'bout ten years ago... mine... from the days when there
were mostly normal brained folks at rfc, and they actually knew how to
cook, and discussed *real* cooking techniques instead of their mental
illnesses.

For the newbies:

Apple Pie Filling from Dehydrated Apples

The nicest apple pies I've ever made were where the filling was
prepared from dried (dehydrated) apples, the apple flavor is more
intense and the texture less mushy; obviously there is less work
and no waste. Dried apples are easily available from stupidmarkets
at reasonable prices especially from markets that sell bulk and from
so-called health food shops. And of course there are no storage
problems with dehydrated fruits, they last about forever.

One pound of dehydated apples equals approximately ten pounds of
fresh. To one pound of dehydrated apples add 2 quarts of water and
*slowly* bring to a gentle boil, stir occasionally and cook 5 minutes,
covered. Turn off heat and let rest, covered, till room temperature.

Make a slurry of cornstarch and cold water; bring apples back to boil
and add cornstarch mixture and cook until thick and clear. Turn off
heat.

While still hot carefully blend in sugar (about 1 pound), a pinch of
salt,
butter (about 2 ounces), a tsp of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and the
juice
of one lemon. Cool throughly. May be refrigerated up to two days for
later
use.

Scale about 3 1/2 cups filling into each unbaked pie crust, cover with
top
crust and bake at 425 degrees F for about 45 minutes, until crust is
nicely
browned.
---

Sheldon

I like to mix firmer ones (like fuji, or granny smith if you like some
zing) with mushier ones (think MacIntosh). Maybe a combo of macs and
granny smiths (thrown in for tartness) as well as some fujis, golden
delicious or other sweet apple for sugar content.

A lot of pie recipes say never use Red Delicious, but I've used them in
conjunction with other apples (in my bottom-of-the-fruit-drawer pies)
and they've worked just fine.

Karen MacInerney
Kitchen experimenter, family chauffeur, and culinary mystery author

I live in Northern Michigan where at last count I could buy at least 15
different varieties of apples this time of year....

Doug Kanter said:

"Kimberly" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm looking for the very best apples (or combination of apples) to use
in plain old apple pie....I've used Granny Smith but Braeburn, Throme
Empire and Ida Red were also recommended. Anyone have an opinion?

Cortland apples. End of discussion.

But, where do you live? It's germane to the discussion.

Sheldon said:

Kimberly said:

I'm looking for the very best apples (or combination of apples) to
use in plain old apple pie

"Very best"...? Dehys of course... this is what the *very best*
bakeries do... do yoose think they sit around paring bushels of of
unknown pie quality apples in a HOT bakery. Naturally the crapola
bakeries use canned apple pie filling...

Dehydrated apples are too inconsistent to use reliably, and you never
know what kind of apples they were made from. Adding plain water (see
below) to them to rehydrate means that you've merely restored the
missing water. No flavor concentration, no flavor improvement. If you're
going to do it that way, rehydrate in apple juice. The number given
below of ratio of fresh to dry is wrong. A pound of dried apples comes
from 3.5 to 4 pounds of fresh. Adding two quarts of water to one pound
of dried apples merely brings the hydration up to near where it started.

Most commercial bakeries use either fresh, pre-cut apples, or frozen
pre-cut apples. They come in large loose-top cans (like old-time pretzel
or potato chip cans where you just lift off the top), peeled and usually
already sugared. The wedge cut used for them is called a "pie-cut."

I just looked in the U.S. Navy cookbook and I think I see where this
dehydrated apple idea came from. Except they say to soak the apples for
45 to 60 minutes, heat to a boil and boil for 20 minutes. Add sugar and
cook for another 10 minutes. No starch. They also say to portion a quart
of filling per pie. I guess Sheldon forgot that original recipe. The
Navy Cookbook also has recipes for canned filling. Funny thing. Canned
filling is cooked. Just like this dehydrated one. Just less fuss. Open
and dump.

Quoted message said:

right up there with canned pissorioghetti.

<LOL> How hard we must work to make ourselves look this silly...

Pastorio

Quoted message said:

Only home cooks use fresh apples for pie filling...
always a [censored] shoot... but for the very occasional pie or two it's
what they do, they don't know why they do it that way, it's how their
mothers did... guess you can chalk it up to monkey see, monkey do.
But there's a much better way... save your pretty, unblemished,
fresh, in season, local apples for eating out of hand... it's a shame
to chop em up for pie... and cheapo drops/cider apples from the farm
stand are too labor intensive paring away the damaged/woimy portions,
plus they actually end up more expensive with all the loss. The very
best pie apples get shipped directly from the orchards to the
commercial dehyrator factories... now that I life in upstate NY I
actually get to see the overloaded trucks rumbling by right on the
road where I live. Many of my neighbors maintain acres of apple
orchards... keeps their property agricultural, they pay far less
taxes, in fact that's the only way they can afford to continue living
there without selling off most of the old family farm.

Repost from 'bout ten years ago... mine... from the days when there
were mostly normal brained folks at rfc, and they actually knew how
to cook, and discussed *real* cooking techniques instead of their
mental illnesses.

For the newbies:

Apple Pie Filling from Dehydrated Apples

The nicest apple pies I've ever made were where the filling was
prepared from dried (dehydrated) apples, the apple flavor is more
intense and the texture less mushy; obviously there is less work and
no waste. Dried apples are easily available from stupidmarkets at
reasonable prices especially from markets that sell bulk and from
so-called health food shops. And of course there are no storage
problems with dehydrated fruits, they last about forever.

One pound of dehydated apples equals approximately ten pounds of
fresh. To one pound of dehydrated apples add 2 quarts of water and
*slowly* bring to a gentle boil, stir occasionally and cook 5
minutes, covered. Turn off heat and let rest, covered, till room
temperature.

Make a slurry of cornstarch and cold water; bring apples back to boil
and add cornstarch mixture and cook until thick and clear. Turn off
heat.

While still hot carefully blend in sugar (about 1 pound), a pinch of
salt, butter (about 2 ounces), a tsp of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and
the juice of one lemon. Cool throughly. May be refrigerated up to
two days for later use.

Scale about 3 1/2 cups filling into each unbaked pie crust, cover
with top crust and bake at 425 degrees F for about 45 minutes, until
crust is nicely browned. ---

Sheldon

"Kimberly" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I live in Northern Michigan where at last count I could buy at least 15
different varieties of apples this time of year....

Doug Kanter said:

"Kimberly" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm looking for the very best apples (or combination of apples) to use
in plain old apple pie....I've used Granny Smith but Braeburn, Throme
Empire and Ida Red were also recommended. Anyone have an opinion?

Cortland apples. End of discussion.

But, where do you live? It's germane to the discussion.

OK. I asked because you might live in one of those wastelands where you can
only get 3 kinds, 2 of which are imported, and left to age on a ship for a
month. :-) But, sounds like you're in good shape.

Bob (this one) said:

Dehydrated apples are too inconsistent to use reliably, and you never know
what kind of apples they were made from. Adding plain water (see below) to
them to rehydrate means that you've merely restored the missing water. No
flavor concentration, no flavor improvement. If you're going to do it that
way, rehydrate in apple juice. The number given below of ratio of fresh to
dry is wrong. A pound of dried apples comes from 3.5 to 4 pounds of fresh.
Adding two quarts of water to one pound of dried apples merely brings the
hydration up to near where it started.

Most commercial bakeries use either fresh, pre-cut apples, or frozen
pre-cut apples. They come in large loose-top cans (like old-time pretzel
or potato chip cans where you just lift off the top), peeled and usually
already sugared. The wedge cut used for them is called a "pie-cut."

Do the bakeries get to choose the apple varieties, or are they pre-cut
"mystery apples"? Seems like if you can't control that part of the equation
you're once again dealing with the problem of inconsistent apples.

Bob

Bob Terwilliger said:

Do the bakeries get to choose the apple varieties, or are they pre-cut
"mystery apples"? Seems like if you can't control that part of the equation
you're once again dealing with the problem of inconsistent apples.

Commercial dehy apples usually get a USDA grade (because they contain
anti-oxidants), fresh apples mostly do not, usually only imports do.
The typical consumer may not realize it but the vast majority of apples
grown in the US get dehydrated, same as most garlic... reason should be
obvious to all but some certain blowhard know-nothing dagos... fresh
apples rot, dehys have a shelf life of virtually forever. Most
commercial food products containing apples use dehys (granulated dehy
apple is a biggie)... do yoose really think apples are only used
during apple harvest time... and it's cheaper to dehy than
refrigerate... and which do you think requires less warehouse space,
and transport costs. Dehy apples is a huge business, with strict
controls. The dehy factorys get first pick of the crop, in fact they
often specify the crop way in advance, years, many years.
Dehy apples are typically pie apples, that's what the dehy factorys
specify... do yoose really think the dehy factorys are going to waste
their resources drying crappy apples.
The reason dehy apples have more intense apple flavor is the same
reason many dehy foods do, anyone with even a modicum of food science
knowlege would know, they cannot be fully rehydrated. Dehydration is
the oldest food preservation method, dehy apples and other dehy fruit
have been prefered since before the first humans... herbivores will
almost always choose dehys first (unless there's a drought), nutrition
is more concentrated, and animals know it because so is the aroma and
flavor more concentrated as well... even a retarded monkey knows more
than a WOP.

Before knocking dehys for apple pie try it. You'll never go back. And
if you don't like my recipe, search the net, there are tons, all
slightly different... most all the back to basics type mags have
articles and recipes for dehys... in fact I urge you to develop your
own recipes... I only offered a starting point, a guide if you will,
which is what all recipes are... anyone implys there's only one way to
cook can't.

http://www.ams.usda.gov/standards/dhyaples.pdf

Sheldon

Bob Terwilliger said:

Bob (this one) said:

Dehydrated apples are too inconsistent to use reliably, and you never know
what kind of apples they were made from. Adding plain water (see below) to
them to rehydrate means that you've merely restored the missing water. No
flavor concentration, no flavor improvement. If you're going to do it that
way, rehydrate in apple juice. The number given below of ratio of fresh to
dry is wrong. A pound of dried apples comes from 3.5 to 4 pounds of fresh.
Adding two quarts of water to one pound of dried apples merely brings the
hydration up to near where it started.

Most commercial bakeries use either fresh, pre-cut apples, or frozen
pre-cut apples. They come in large loose-top cans (like old-time pretzel
or potato chip cans where you just lift off the top), peeled and usually
already sugared. The wedge cut used for them is called a "pie-cut."

Do the bakeries get to choose the apple varieties, or are they pre-cut
"mystery apples"? Seems like if you can't control that part of the equation
you're once again dealing with the problem of inconsistent apples.

High-end packers specify the kinds in their packaging. The lower-end
ones are just labelled as apples and are likely mixed varieties.

Pastorio